Confinement-chair.



E. C. SCHORTMANN.

GONHNEMBNT GHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.14,190B.

954,474. Patented Apr. 12, 1910.

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EIJIIL C. SCHORTIVIANN, 0F BILBAO, SPAIN".

CONFINEMENT-CHAIR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 12, 191).

Application filed December 14, 1968. Serial No. 467,466.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL C. SoHonrMANN, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and resident of Bilbao, in the Province of Biscay and Kingdom of Spain, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Confinement-Chairs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to furniture and more particularly to chairs, and has for its object to provide a chair especially adapted for use during obstetrical operations, which will allow the patient to retain a sitting posture during labor, thus obtaining the advantage of the greater objective force which may be exerted in this position.

Another object is to provide a chair which will include thigh and coccyx supports so located that they will not interfere with delivery, and also a seat movable'into and out of position to coperate with the portions just mentioned to form a chair in which the patient may rest during recovery.

Another object is to provide a chair including a receptacle movable into and out of position to receive the discharges incident to labor, and which may also be used in cleansing the person.

Another object is to provide a chair in' cluding the thigh supports above mentioned and also arm supports so arranged in connection with the thigh supports as to permit a proper positioning of the legs of the occupant of the chair.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following' description, and it will be understood that changes in the speciiic structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the chair with the seat in operative position, Fig. 2 is a perspective view with the seat raised, Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the arrangement of the supporting slabs, Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the basin supporting brackets.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a chair comprising a pair of front legs 5, and a pair of rear legs 6. The rear legs are connected by a transverse member 7 and a back 8 extends thereabove. A. pair of forwardly and rearwardly extending transversely spaced thigh supporting members 9 are secured at their forward ends to the respective legs 5, and at their rearward ends to the respective legs 6. At their lower portions, the legs are connected by suitable rungs 10. The inner edges of the thigh supports 9 are curved longitudinally to present inwardly extending convexities 11, and secured to the transverse member 7 between the rearward ends of the thigh supports 9 there is a transversely extending supporting member 12 having its forward edge curved longitudinally to present a forwardly extending convexity 13. There are thus formed V-shaped spaces 14 between the adjacent portions of the inner edges of the thigh supports 9 and the rearwardly supporting member 12. The inner edges of the portions 9 and 12 are beveled downwardly and inwardly, as shown, to receive thereagainst correspondingly beveled edges 15 of a seat member 16. This seat member has its side portions concaved to t against the convexities 11 of the thigh supports 9, and has its rearward edge similarly concaved to receive the support 12. There are thus produced V- shaped rearward corner portions 1T for the seat 16, which are arranged to lie in the spaces 14e, and the apioes of these corner portions have hinges 18 secured thereto, these hinges also being secured to the legs 6.

From Fig. 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that the seat 16 may be moved into position to lie within the space between the side supports 9 to complete the seat of the chair and that it may also be raised to rest aga-inst the back 8 of the chair, when it forms a supplementary back. By reason of the peculiar arrangement, the support 12 projects forwardly of the seat 16 when the latter is raised.

Forwardly extending horizontal arms 19 are secured at their rearward ends to the back 8 at the sides thereof, and project above the thigh supports 9. The forward portions of these arms are supported by downwardly and rearwardly curved members 20 which are secured to the thigh supports ad jacent to the rearward ends of the latter; thus these members 20 lie out of position to interfere with the proper position of the legs of the occupant of the chair, the legs of the occupant extending outwardly beneath the forward portions of the arms 19.

The legs 6 have arms 2l pivoted at their rearward ends to the upper portions of the legs, these arms extending radially of sectoral straps secured to the thigh supports and to the legs and the members are movable pivotally to extend at different angles to the perpendicular, as will be understood. The sectoral straps have openings Qi therein and the members 2l have screws 2st engaged therein arranged for interchangeable engagement in the openings 23 to hold the members at different points of their morement. As shown in the drawings, the members are connected by a transverse rod Q5 and have hooks 2G at their forward ends, these hooks being directed upwardly. The members also have registering notches QT iu their upper edges, as shown. basin 28 has trunnions Q9 which may be engaged in the hooks 26 and in the notches ZT interchangeably to properly position the basin, and thus a double adjustment is provided for, this adjustment being' accomplished through the shifting of the members 2l upon their pivots and by moving the basin 2S longitudinally of the members. horizontally extending shaft 30 is journaled at its ends in one of the legs 5 and in one of the legs (5, extending beneath one of the thigh supports 9. and a set screw 3l is arranged to engage this shaft to hold it at different points of its rotation. leaf shelf 32 is carried by the shaft, and it will be seen that the shaft may be shifted to project the leaf shelf at times laterally beyond the adjacent thigh supports and at times to position the shelf beneath the thigh support. The shelf may be used to support various instruments used during delivery.

fis will be seen, the present chair is especially adapted to the use for which it designed. The thighs of the occupant rest upon the supports 9, and the posterior por tion of the body of the occupant rests upon the support 1Q, this support thus receiving the coecyx and sustaining the spine. The arms 19 present at their forward ends grips for the hands of the occupant, .and the entire structure is such that a maximum of ejective force may be exerted by the patient.

IThe chair is especially adapted for use during the operation of version as it makes possible the proper separation of the legs of the patient thus exposing the cervex uteri and permitting the insertion of the finger of the operator through the os to engage the chin of the infant while the other hand of the operator is devoted to external manipulation of the abdomen to effect the turning of the infant.

As is well known, the discharge in placenta privia cases in which the operation of version is performed, is more copious than in normal labor, and the provision of the basin in the present invention thus also renders it especially adapted for use in such operations.

fi/That is claimed is l. A chair having a seat including a pair of parallel transversely spaced members, said members having their inner edges curved to produce inwardly directed con- .vexities, a forwardly extending supporting member located between the rearward ends of the thigh members and a seat member hinged for movement to lie at times between the thigh members and forwardly of the rearward member, and at times to extend vertically in a plane rearwardly of the forward edge of the rearward member.

2. A chair having a seat including a pair of spaced side members and a forwardly extending member located between the rearward ends of the side members, and a seat section hinged for movement to lie at times between the side members and forwardly of the rearward member, and at times to extend vertically in a plane rearwardly of the forward edge of the rearward member.

in testimony whereof I affix my signature7 in presence of two witnesses.

EML C. SCHORTMANN.

iVitnessesr A GEORGE Rockit, Einw. PRY. 

